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Old 03-10-2017, 07:23 PM
MilanB7 MilanB7 is offline
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Exclamation Alpina B7 E65 secondary throttle body actuator gear permanent solution

Like many of you Alpina B7 owners are aware, Supercharger throttle body or secondary throttle body has plastic actuator gear that goes bad every 30.000 to 50.000 miles. Until now, only option is to replace the entire secondary throttle body to the cost of $1049.00 US dollars, 910 Euros or $1350 Canadian plus shipping. Used part can not be found and if one ever surfaced it would have a plastic gear inside, that would go bad rather sooner than later.
BMW M5-S85-V10 engine has the identical issue with it's throttle body actuator gears and aftermarket replacement gears can be purchased from various suppliers, basically all coming from the same supplier.
Sadly same can not be said for any Alpina B7 e65.... until today.

My Alpina developed the dreaded actuator gear failure and I was faced with no choice in the matter. I got an "awesome" deal from my local BMW dealer for brand new secondary throttle body (that goes bad after few years), shipped directly from Buchloe, Germany for as little as $1350.00 Canadian, plus tax. By the way, this same throttle body was replaced under warranty less than 30.000 miles ago.
After weeks of research I have decided to look for a machine shop that can actually re-manufacture the offending gear, not in plastic, but out of Aluminium. I did find one shop promising that they can machine a gear if I brought them the old one. Fast forward two weeks, I brought the gear to them.
After 10 days of painful waiting game, I got a call from the shop owner that the gear is finally done and I can pick it up.
Fast forward to my house, after dinner, I have installed the gear, went for a joyful ride on the province of Ontario highways.
Finally, after months of hesitation over 2000 rpm, jerking when letting go of gas above 50 mph, weird sloshing sound from the supercharger intake......, I am finally able to enjoy my car again, issue free, check engine light off and just with all 500 and change horses at my instant request.

I don't have to describe my joy and happiness, especially because I paid nowhere close to the above price to get my car perfect again.

The best part is, now when the part is manufactured and is working as good as OEM or better (longer, forever), this machine shop can and will manufacture more, if there is a demand for it.
Here is how it works.
Each single gear is $250 USD, if ordered individually.
If there is 20 or more orders in, than individual gear cost would come down to $150 USD.
If there is a 30 or more orders than each gear would cost $100 USD
Shipping would be extra of course.

I want to put this out for Alpina community to see and possibly take advantage of. To mention, gear is made out of Aluminum and its a one piece unit, not two gears pressed or fastened together.
Picture of old and new gear attached
Attached Images
File Type: jpg new.jpg (88.8 KB, 5 views)
File Type: jpg P_20170213_095059.jpg (89.8 KB, 6 views)